Bigamist's victim stands by her man

The love of a good woman saved a convicted bigamist from going to jail in spite of his "duplicitous and illegal behaviour" against her.

John Whiting filed for divorce from his first wife on Wednesday, a year after going through a marriage ceremony with his present partner.

Yesterday in the Timaru District Court Judge Gordon Whiting took those new proceedings and the support of Whiting's present "wife" into consideration before sentencing him to 250 hours' community service.

The judge, who was unrelated to the defendant, said: "Marriage is an important pillar in our cultural society for many people. Bigamy strikes at the heart of that pillar.

"In recent times activities and legislation has broadened and heightened the focus on the importance of the institution of marriage."

Whiting, a former farm manager now living in Auckland with his partner and her parents, had forged the signatures of his first wife, solicitor and a court official on divorce papers to convince his new partner he was free to marry her. He then committed bigamy by getting "married" in St Luke's Anglican Church in Oamaru last June.

The crime was reported to police by his first wife, whose defence lawyer Wayne Van Vuuren said was "affronted by the whole situation".

Whiting's new partner was also distressed but had decided to "stand by her man".

"He is an ordinary Kiwi man who has not got his papers in order before getting on with his life. Some people do silly things when they are in love," Mr Van Vuuren told the court.

His partner had written a supportive letter to the judge saying she loved him with all her heart and was proud to be with someone so special.

"What he did does not make him a bad person inside."

Judge Whiting told the 40-year-old man he was lucky to have the support of his partner.

He noted the maximum sentence was seven years' jail, but he would not impose a prison sentence because Whiting had the support of his partner and her family, a new job, and he had "entered a new chapter" of his life.